Galápa­gos Fash­ions, 2008

Pig­ment print

63.9 × 76.9 cm

Pho­to­graphy by Elke Hartmann

Pro­duced by Galápa­gos Con­ser­va­tion Trust and Cal­ouste Gul­ben­ki­an Found­a­tion Galápa­gos Artists’ Res­id­ency Programme

The Galápa­gos giant tor­toise, icon for the Galápa­gos and for the glob­al con­ser­va­tion move­ment, is one of the rarest anim­als in the world. In a bid to com­pete with their exot­ic appeal, Coates pur­chased the most glam­or­ous out­fit he could find on the island and sup­planted him­self in the tortoise’s breed­ing enclos­ure to be pho­to­graphed by the tour­ists along­side them.